The history of Van Cleef & Arpels began with a love story. In 1895, Estelle Arpels, the daughter of a dealer in precious stones, married Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a lapidary and diamond broker. In 1906, they opened the first Van Cleef & Arpels boutique at 22 place Vendôme, a legendary address that remains unchanged to this day.
Over the decades, the excellence of the High Jewelry Maison established its reputation across the world. Its emblematic signatures – such as the Alhambra® motif, the Zip necklace or the Mystery Set™ technique – its selection of Pierres de Caractère™, exceptional gems that instill an emotion, and the savoir-faire of its Mains d’Or™, the virtuoso craftsmen of Van Cleef & Arpels’ workshops, have given birth to jewelry and watchmaking collections redolent of dreams and enchantment.
The elegance and inventiveness of its creations, along with its use of the rarest and most precious materials, enabled Van Cleef & Arpels to win over royal and princely families, personalities of the cinema and a cosmopolitan clientele of discerning taste.
Today, the Maison remains faithful to this highly distinctive style characterized by poetry, refinement, creativity and artistic sensibility. Whether inspired by nature, couture, dance or the imagination, it offers the world a gateway to a timeless universe of beauty and harmony.